At its Jan. 16 meeting, the Park District Board of Commissioners approved a $61,400 contract for landscape architectural services for the Ackerman Park improvement project.

"Over the past 30-plus years, the district has performed 'band-aid' improvements to the property without an overall goal or long-term plan," Park District Executive Director Dave Harris told commissioners during the meeting. "While functional, the property has not been improved and remains in almost the same condition that it was in the '80s."

A master plan for the park was approved in 2014.

"From afar the park looks pretty nice, [but] when you get up close, you kind of see the warts of the property," Harris said. "The whole park is kind of in its rough stage, and the master plan is taking it from [its] potential and refining it to a more manageable athletic site."

A committee will be established to help determine the desired future improvements to a portion of the park known as Lower Ackerman. Those improvements could include an oversized turf field at the northwest area of Lower Ackerman. General open space south and east of the proposed turf field consisting of natural turf grass would be regraded, properly drained, irrigated and reseeded.

In addition, the softball core could be renovated to include new hardscape, seat walls, site furnishings, backstops and fencing, dugouts, improved irrigation, and a new or renovated concession and restroom building. Also, an about 6-foot-wide trail could be installed along the perimeter of Lower Ackerman.

In March, the proposed project scope will be presented to the Board of Commissioners, and in April, the public will get the chance to review the plan. Improvements are set to get underway by summer 2019.